2023 is a difficult year for Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa. Extreme weather is rampant, causing increasingly serious food insecurity, poverty and displacement; Looking back at the history of the slave trade, Africa calls on western countries to shoulder historical responsibilities, advance the just cause and pay compensation to the African people; The security situation in West Africa and the Sahel has deteriorated again, with coups in Niger and Gabon, and the national consciousness of African countries has gradually awakened; The continuous aggressive interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve has increased the already high inflationary pressure in African countries. Of course, even in the face of a series of internal and external shocks, the trend of world multipolarization has not changed, and peace and development remain the theme of the African continent.

　　The year-end special feature "Say No to 2023" of the Central Radio and Television General Station in Africa will sort out the multiple challenges faced by the African continent in 2023 through many in-depth reports, showing that Africa is actively seeking the road of independent development and national rejuvenation through multilateral cooperation, the BRICS mechanism and the green "Belt and Road" construction.

　　French troops stationed in Niger withdrew from French media: the end of France’s ten-year "anti-jihad" campaign

　　On December 22nd, with the last batch of 50 French soldiers flying from the air base in Niamey, the capital of Niger, to France and Chad, the French army’s evacuation from Niger started on October 10th ended, and all 1,500 French troops stationed in Niger were evacuated. At the same time, the French embassy in Niger said that it was forced to close indefinitely because it could not perform all the tasks of diplomatic representatives.

　　Since the regime change in Niger in July this year, the controversy surrounding the French garrison in Niger has come to an end. France’s 24 TV channel said in the report that this move means that "France has been in the Sahel region of West Africa for more than a decade ‘ Anti-jihad ’ The action is over. "

　　Looking back on the past two years, the French army has successively withdrawn from Mali, the Central African Republic and Burkina Faso, and the number of personnel has been reduced from more than 5,400 at the peak to about 1,000 at present. The French military presence in the Sahel region of West Africa is gradually declining.

　　In addition, many former French colonial countries in Africa are carrying out the "de-Frenchization" movement, and France has gradually lost its influence and once respected position in Africa, and the era of "French Africa" is slowly ending.

　　After the coup in Niger, the anti-French wave surged, and the "African gendarmerie" had no choice but to withdraw again.

　　On July 26th, soldiers of Niger Presidential Guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum in the presidential palace in Niamey, the capital. On that night, the coup soldiers announced that they had overthrew the Bazoum regime and taken over state affairs. On the 28th, Chiani, the former captain of Niger’s presidential guard, announced his appointment as the chairman of Niger’s National Committee for Defending the Motherland. On the same day, the Committee issued a statement saying that Chiani, the chairman of the Committee, was the national leader.

　　The reasons for the military coup in Niger are exactly the same as those in Mali and Burkina Faso. They are "the security situation continues to deteriorate and the government’s economic and social governance is weak", and the sword refers to France. Bazoum was detained, and the western media also exclaimed that France was afraid of losing an important ally in the Sahel. After the incident, France refused to recognize the legitimacy of the coup soldiers.

　　On July 30th, France announced the suspension of aid to Nepal. On the same day, Niamey people who supported the coup soldiers stormed the French embassy. They shouted slogans such as "Down with France" in front of the embassy, during which some people set fire to the door and threw stones at the embassy. Two days later, France decided to evacuate overseas Chinese from Niger urgently.

　　On August 3, the military authorities of the coup in Niger announced the abolition of the military cooperation agreement signed with France, demanding that the French garrison withdraw before September 3. The French side responded strongly that the coup authorities in Niger had no right to abolish the agreement. On August 25th, the military government of Niger asked sylvain Yitai, the French ambassador to Nigeria, to leave the country within 48 hours, but France turned a deaf ear and refused to recall the ambassador.

　　At the beginning of September, the deadline for withdrawal approached, and thousands of people in Niger surrounded the French base in Niamey, "Down with France! The call for France to get out is higher and higher, and some people try to break into the military camp. At the same time, the supply of the French embassy in Niger was cut off, the materials were reduced to "wartime quota", and Ambassador sylvain Yitai was taken hostage.

　　Under heavy pressure, on September 5, the French Ministry of National Defense said that it "exchanged views" with the Nigerian military government on the withdrawal of the French army. Previously, it repeatedly reversed its position of not recognizing it. On 24th, French President Macron said that he would recall his ambassador to Niger and end his military presence in the country. "French 24 Hours" news network said that after nearly two months of confrontation with Niger’s military government, Macron finally "caved in".

　　This withdrawal from Niger is the fourth time that France has withdrawn its troops from African countries in two years after withdrawing troops from Mali, Central African Republic and Burkina Faso. Among them, in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, France was ordered to leave for three times, which made France lose face in the Sahel region, and France’s status as an "African gendarmerie" was also unsustainable.

　　France’s anti-terrorism framework has been abandoned, and countries in the Sahel region are determined to maintain security independently.

　　The evacuation of the French army is regarded by the people of Niger as the beginning of a "new era", and the ruling military government of Niger also considers it a major victory, declaring it as a "new step towards Niger’s sovereignty".

　　How will the security situation in the Sahel evolve after the withdrawal of French troops? Some western media have expressed their concern that the "anti-terrorism vacuum" may lead to the further expansion of the activities of the "jihad" armed forces, thus worsening the security situation in the Sahel region and even the Gulf of Guinea as a whole.

　　However, the people in the Sahel countries do not agree with the pessimistic predictions of the western media. They believe that the French army did not significantly improve the security situation during its existence. Niger’s military government expressed its "determination to meet the challenge by consolidating the country’s military and strategic capabilities". Chiani reorganized the national defense system after taking office, and recently established the "Solidarity Fund for Protecting Homes" to raise funds for counter-terrorism by raising funds from the public.

　　On 16 September, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso signed an agreement announcing the establishment of the "League of Sahel countries". On the one hand, the alliance is to respond to the threat of military intervention that the Economic Community of West African States may launch, and on the other hand, it will coordinate the fight against terrorist activities raging in the border areas of the three countries.

　　This cooperation mechanism is a substitute for the "Sahel Group of Five" established by France in 2014. Due to dissatisfaction with France’s use of this organization to give orders, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have all withdrawn from the "Group of Five", resulting in the de facto dissolution of this organization.

　　Whether Niger is determined to build its own defense line against terrorism, whether Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger form an alliance to fight terrorism, or whether Russia provides strong support to the Sahel region, the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen. The complexity of the security in the Sahel also includes many problems such as economic development and social governance in the region. When analyzing the failure of France’s "Sahel strategy", some French scholars said that France relied too unilaterally on military means and lacked support for the development of various countries.

　　African anti-French sentiment has a long history, and historical and practical factors are intertwined.

　　In recent years, many countries that have suffered coups are former French colonies, and they are also African countries known as French-speaking areas. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which have successively expelled the French army, are also among them. These countries have close and special interests with France for many years, and their dissatisfaction with France has a long history. Colonial history and current political security issues are intertwined and gradually accumulate into a powerful anti-French wave.

　　Cruel economic plunder has led to a weak economic foundation and a low level of development in African countries.

　　France’s colonial history in Africa has been more than 100 years, but most French-speaking countries in Africa, especially those in the Sahel, have a worrying development situation and a low level of economic and social development, which is directly related to France’s predatory colonization. French companies obtain local resources and raw materials, and dump goods to make a lot of profits, but they have no intention of promoting local construction and development.

　　In addition, by establishing the CFA franc zone and unifying the currency, the financial and economic lifelines of French-speaking countries were controlled and their dependence on France was deepened. At present, 14 African countries use West African francs or Central African francs, and their currency reserves are deposited in the Central Bank of France. These economic plundering histories are the "original sin" of France in the eyes of African young people, which makes them reject France from national feelings.

　　"Double Standards" on Democratic Issues, Interfering in the Political Situation of French-speaking African Countries at Will

　　On the one hand, France advocates democracy, but at the same time, it makes friends with some ruling families in African countries in exchange for benefits and convenience, and pursues "double standards" on the issue of democracy. Most senior officials and politicians in West African countries have a background of studying in France and being pro-French, which is their political capital supported by France. For the emergence of a political situation that is not conducive to France, France will come forward to exert pressure, restrain and threaten from the political and economic levels, and influence the ruling direction of political elites.

　　If economic and political means fail, France’s large number of troops stationed in many African countries can come in handy. According to incomplete statistics, from 1962 to now, France has carried out at least 25 military interventions in Africa, including Operation Sangbutterfly, which tried to help Central Africa "restore order" in 2013, and Operation Unicorn, which intervened in the civil war in C? te d ‘Ivoire in 2015.

　　For a long time, the powerful control over French-speaking countries in Africa has made the French politicians accustomed to the "paternalistic" style and bossed around the affairs of French-speaking countries in Africa. The condescending arrogance of the French government has aroused widespread resentment in all walks of life in African countries.

　　The anti-French wave swept through and went deep into the field of cultural life, and France had to adjust its role.

　　Nowadays, anti-French sentiment has spread to most French-speaking African countries. From Mali to the Democratic Republic of Congo, from Senegal to Gabon, France’s influence is gradually losing. African leaders and public opinion are expressing their dissatisfaction with France more and more bluntly. The former French colonial countries are increasingly alienated from France politically and militarily, and are also cutting off from France with greater efforts in culture and life.

　　Since July this year, Morocco, Mali and Burkina Faso have successively decided to abolish the official language status of French. These three countries plan to upgrade the local national language to the official language, while Algeria has increased the popularization of English at the university level. In August this year, Abidjan, the economic capital of C? te d ‘Ivoire, decided to delete the place names with traces of French colonization, and the streets named after former French presidents Destin and Mitterrand were also renamed. In addition, in recent years, in the French-speaking areas of West Africa, civil, political and artistic movements criticizing France have become increasingly active, further awakening the national consciousness of the local people.

　　Gnaka Lagok, a professor of history and African studies at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, said, "Some African countries have a feeling that economic and political life is still controlled by France. The reality is that these African countries are seeking ‘ Second independence ’ People want political and economic freedom and France is an obstacle for them to achieve this goal. "

　　In August this year, some center-right members of the French Parliament sent a letter to French President Macron, urging him to reconsider France’s role in Africa when France’s influence weakened, arguing that France should keep a "fair distance" from African countries and Paris should get rid of its outdated Africa policy.

　　Editorial writer Philippe Bernard said in the column of Le Monde in France in February this year that with the expulsion of French soldiers, France must admit that it played an accomplice role in the failure of some French-speaking African countries and regard the withdrawal as a new stage of decolonization. "For France, the goal should not be to beat one’s chest, but to change one’s mentality." The French media also admitted that "it is time to break the paternalism towards Africans and allow these countries to exercise their free will".

　　(Headquarters reporter He Beiping intern reporter Chen Yanhua)

　 　 Special feature of 1905 film network One hundred years ago, a global war made all countries disappear from the earth, and the survivors gathered in Chicago in the near future. In order to seek permanent peace, the founders of the new world divided people into five factions according to their characteristics: fearless, selfless, knowledgeable, honest and friendly. "Faction before blood" is the supreme truth in this world. Everyone must take a factional test when they grow up to 16 years old, and choose a faction that suits their own characteristics according to the test results. Each faction has a unique temperament, has its own special social responsibilities, and works together to promote world progress. When a person has more than two kinds of temperament, it means that he will be a "diverger".

　 　 　On September 8th, this blockbuster sci-fi action series after The Hunger Games (hereinafter referred to as Divergent) is about to land in mainland cinemas. Before going into the cinema to watch the Divergent, let’s take a minute to understand the five factions of the Divergent.

Dauntless (dauntless)

Values: Courage

Main occupation: military personnel

Representative color: black

Resistance: cowardice and cowardice

Declaration: "We believe in the power of courage, the courage to inspire one to take risks for others. Others sigh, we roar — — In order to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. "

　 　 Fearless faction gathers brave people, who are fearless, indestructible, always full of energy and gain pleasure from stimulation. They use endless training to reach their physical limits, wear all-black clothes, and show their personality with tattoos and earrings. No matter where you go, you are parkour, jumping off a building and jumping off a train, just like an upgrade enthusiast, taking risks and challenging yourself regardless of the consequences. They defend the safety of the city and guard the "boundary" of the city. They are the best fighters. However, in the eyes of the peace-loving friendly faction, the fearless faction looks like a rude executioner. In the film, Theo James’s "Four" was the first among the freshmen of the same year. He gave up joining the "leadership" to preserve his sanity, but joined the "Safety and Guidance Department" to be a freshman tutor. Shailene woodley’s "Trish" hides her identity as a "diverger" and hides in the fearless faction.

Abnegation (Abnegation)

Values: altruism

Main occupation: political person

Representative color: gray

Resistance: selfishness and indifference

Declaration: "I choose not to look at my reflection, but to shine on others and trust my brothers and sisters instead of relying on my limited strength until I disappear."

　 　 Selflessness has the quality of selfless dedication, a soft heart, low-key and simple, and no pursuit of material things. Engaged in the social service industry and taking care of "non-factional" vagrants, they always take the initiative to lend a helping hand and get satisfaction from helping others. Fifty selfless representatives constitute the government of this world. They are selfless and clean. However, because they hold many secrets about the city, they are polluted as "selfish hypocrites" by the Bo School. Children born in selfless families are low-key and conservative, and are ridiculed as "nerds" by peers from other factions. Tracy, played by shailene woodley, was born in a selfless family, lived in a humble house with her parents and brother, wore gray clothes, ate vegetarian food, lived a simple life, did not wear makeup, and even looked in the mirror furtively.

Erudite school

Values: knowledge

Main occupation: professor, researcher

Representative color: blue

Resistance: Ignorance and Ignorance

Declaration: "The definition of ignorance is not stupidity, but the lack of knowledge. Lack of knowledge leads to lack of understanding, which leads to isolation and misunderstanding, and isolation and misunderstanding conflict. So knowledge is the only reasonable way to solve conflicts. In order to avoid conflicts, we are committed to eliminating misunderstandings, building a world of true knowledge, and healing ignorant souls. "
　
　 　 The erudite party is very persistent in knowledge, wise and dedicated, rigorous in wording, calm in thinking and endowed with eloquence. Enjoy learning new things, try to understand how everything works, and attach importance to goals and results. Usually choose reason and rely on logic instead of sensibility and intuition. All members have at least one suit at any time, which is the representative color of the faction — — Blue. The members of the Bo School are responsible for education, medical care and various scientific research institutions, and their science and technology have developed to a frightening level. Kate winslet plays the leader of Bo School in the film, wearing a blue coat, capable spirit, cold eyes and strong gas field. She used serum to control the fearless faction as a force in an attempt to overthrow the selfless government and gain absolute dominance.

Candor (Candor)

Values: integrity

Main occupation: lawyer

Representative colors: black and white.

Resistance: concealment and cover-up

Declaration: "Truth makes people transparent, truth makes people strong, and truth connects us closely.

　 　 Honestists attach importance to the truth, hate lies and stick to principles. They are responsible for the laws, news and monitoring of the city. In the eyes of honest people, black and white are the colors that represent truth, because for them, everything is either black or white. Honest elders usually give people the impression of being reliable and self-controlled, but the younger generation is honest and rude, and anything that feels wrong will be pointed out immediately. They don’t believe in the words "charm" and "politeness", which are all disguises in their eyes. The magic weapon of their law enforcement work — — The truth potion makes the secret have nowhere to escape. They wear black suits and white ties, and their clothes are usually black and white. Honests and friendly people who hate disputes don’t like each other. Christina (zoe kravitz), a friend who entered the fearless school with Trish at the same time, was originally a child of an honest family.

Amity

Values: peace

Main occupation: consultant, nurse

Representative colors: red and yellow

Boycott: Conflict and War

Declaration: "Give without complaint, because you will get what you need … … Don’t be angry and don’t care about other people’s comments. Fallacy is a thing of the past. Don’t let cruel and impetuous thoughts fill your brain. These thoughts will hurt others and destroy yourself. "

　 　 The friendly faction is peace-loving, cordial and easy-going, considerate, and will always use quietism to maintain peace and make people around them feel like a spring breeze. They are responsible for agriculture, daily necessities supply, and have many aspects of cooperation with Bo School. They enjoy the happiness brought by music, art, entertainment and games. They are full of literary styles and have a keen insight into life. The friendly people are dressed in red and yellow, which makes people feel overwhelmed. They are just like living in a utopia. No matter how dark the social reality is, they are still indifferent and calm, doing their own thing. Friendly people hate all disputes, and of course they hate honest people who love to discuss and argue. Shailene woodley’s Trish’s neighbor "Robert" chose the friendly school when she was selfless.

Divergent (divergent)

　 　 Those who disagree do not belong to any faction. Divergent people have many characteristics, which are different from ordinary people’s perception and creativity. Act maverick and have opinions, but they will not be too ostentatious. The heroine "Trish" has the characteristics of multiple factions and is classified as a "divisive person", so she is in danger of being pursued by the villains. Because dissidents are regarded as the main force with the potential to launch unrest and revolution, and they are the taboo objects of social rulers. Because of differences, it was cleared. However, the divergers will not be controlled by serum, and the genes of the divergers are pure, so Trish can stay awake and fight the villains to the end. The hero "Si" has always been mistaken for a diverger, but in fact, he only has the gene against serum, which will be revealed in sequel to the movie later.